The invention relates in general to reactive materials, and, in particular, to reactive materials for use in munitions such as warheads and the like.
Many types of materials are used in warheads to create an exothermic reaction upon impact or in the vicinity of the desired target. Explosives are one class of materials used in such warheads. Some materials are not technically explosives, but are nonetheless reactive. These reactive materials are desirable because of their stability during manufacture, during launch of the warhead and during delivery of the warhead to the target.
One problem with such reactive materials is that they may fragment before reaching their intended target, thereby greatly reducing their effectiveness in producing the desired level of exothermic reaction. Thus, a need exists for a reactive material having sufficient strength to withstand launch and delivery stresses without breaking up.
The present invention is directed to a process for making a polytetrafluoroethylene-aluminum (PTFE-Al) composite material having increased strength, and the material made by the process.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.